Carbonell Awards Announces Postponement Of April 6 Awards Ceremony Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

Donald R. Walters, Esq., board president of the Carbonell Awards, South Florida's Theatre & Arts Honors, today announced that the 44th awards ceremony scheduled for April 6 at Lauderhill Performing Arts Center has been postponed due to the rising coronavirus pandemic.

"In order to help mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 Virus," the City of Lauderhill announced yesterday in a news release that it has suspended "all known public gatherings to include special events, sports leagues/practices, shows, concerts, and City and Non-City Public meetings through the end of April."

"The Carbonell Awards was very much looking forward to holding our first ceremony at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center," says Walters. "Our Board of Directors will meet soon and determine when and where we will eventually publicly celebrate some very talented people and companies."

Several hundred actors, musicians, performers, writers, directors, techies, producers, reviewers, designers, specialty artists, and diehard theater fans are expected to attend the glittery, entertainment-packed event which is South Florida's version of Broadway's Tony Awards.

For the upcoming Carbonell Awards, Palm Beach Dramaworks shows earned a record-breaking 29 nominations overall, the most of any theater in the tri-county region. Zoetic Stage received 20 nominations, the most for any theater in Miami-Dade County, and Slow Burn Theatre Company in Fort Lauderdale earned 12 nominations, the most of any theater in Broward County. Out of more than 80 shows that opened in 2019 at regional theaters, 62 were eligible for nominations.

Another highlight of the Carbonell Awards will be the awarding of the 2020 Jack Zink Memorial Student Scholarships. The selection of recipients is based on talent, experience and demonstrated commitment to the theater. One student from each of three South Florida counties-Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach-will receive scholarships ranging from $1,000-$3,000.

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